The Godfather
by ShadowChaser162
Summary: Sirius Black visits the Potters for the first time after the birth of their son, Harry, and James has a request for him.


Sirius Black was visiting the Potters for the first time since the birth of their son, Harry. He chatted idly with James while Lily was making dinner. James bounced, absentmindedly, as most parents do, without seeming to notice the odd looks Sirius was giving him. In Sirius's opinion, the baby shouldn't be shaken about so much, but what did he know?

"Remus was by just last week and Peter came with him. I don't think Moony thought he should be trusted around a baby but I told him that he wasn't leaving until he had held him at least once. Pete was surprisingly good with him, honestly."

"Yeah, great," replied Sirius, distractedly. He was eyeing Harry as though worried the baby might explode. James noticed his behavior and sighed inwardly. Sirius had never been too fond of children – particularly young babies – ever since James's cousin had brought her daughter over and forced the two boys to babysit while she and the Potters went for a tour of the countryside.

 _But this is something he is just going to have to get over,_ thought James, stubbornly _, I'm not going to have my best mate be afraid of my kid._

"Sirius, could you hold Harry for a moment? I ought to see if Lily needs any help." Ignoring his friend's protests, James deposited his son into Sirius's arms and walked off saying, "Thanks, mate. Be sure to support his head."

Sirius gaped after James. He hated children. No, that wasn't right – he was _terrified_ of children. They were just so fragile! He always worried that he would drop one and break it or something. Then he would never be able to live down being the bloke who dropped his best friend's first born child.

With that weighing on his conscience, Sirius frowned down at Harry, nervously. Harry squealed at him. "Um, hello." He said. He found that it was easiest to hold Harry with one arm but then he didn't know what to do with the other one. He stood, stock still, unsure of what he should be doing. After a moment or two of silence, Harry squirmed and began to cry. Panicking, Sirius reached up with his other hand and tried to comfort the baby, patting him lightly on the head. "Now, now," he said anxiously, "What are you crying for?"

From the kitchen, Lily's voice called, "Just rock him a bit, he'll warm up to you in no time."

Thinking that this advice was far from helpful, Sirius glowered toward her. Nonetheless, he started bouncing the way he had seen James do. The crying stopped abruptly, but now the boy was staring at Sirius as though he had just grown a second head. He dropped the small stuffed dog he was holding and began to whine fretfully.

"Oi, now," said Sirius, irritably, "just keep your knickers on, I'll get it." He reached down cautiously to pick up the dog. As he handed it back to Harry, however, the boy reached up and wrapped a tiny hand around one of Sirius's fingers. Sirius froze. Harry was gazing up at him with his soft green eyes filled with adoration. "Yeah, you're not so bad, are you?" Sirius said, chuckling and the baby smiled back. Sirius moved less stiffly now and talked soft nonsense to the boy. The stuffed dog fell to the ground again, forgotten.

James and Lily walked back into the living room together. Sirius tried to scowl at them for so obviously setting him up, but he couldn't pretend to be angry for long. Instead, he returned to smiling warmly at Harry.

James and Lily sat down, watching him with amusement. "Sirius," said James, "I want you to be Harry's godfather. You know, in case anything happened to us."

Sirius stopped rocking Harry and stared at his best friend. James was watching him apprehensively. James knew Sirius hated thinking about or planning for death. When James's parents had died, Sirius had locked himself in his room at the Potters' and refused to come out for days. He preferred to think that death did not exist.

Sirius sighed looking back at Harry, who had fallen asleep, still holding his finger. "Alright."

James looked at him in surprise. Lily stood and hugged him. "Thank you, Sirius," she said, "If something were to happen, I know you'd be the next best thing to having James. Here, I can take him now." She reached out to take Harry but Sirius pulled back, defensively.

"He's _your_ baby," he growled, "Let someone else have a go." And he resumed his rocking, still scowling at her reproachfully.

Lily stifled a laugh, "Oh, right," she said, deadpan, "Where are my manners?" She rolled her eyes in a way that said, "Silly me," and went to sit next to James, grinning.

Sirius smiled and sat in the rocking chair across from them. Harry was awake again and began cooing at Sirius, as though he were talking. Sirius responded by baby-talking back, saying, "I love you. Yes I do. I love you." Repeatedly.

James felt somewhat nauseated. "I'm not that bad, am I?" he whispered to Lily.

"Oh no dear," she said with a smile, "You're _much_ worse."

He wrinkled his nose at her and kissed her forehead. They sat back and watched the bond growing between Harry and his godfather until – suddenly – Sirius sat up stiffly, and held Harry slightly away from him. "Well, uh, I think it's your turn now, Prongs." He said, handing Harry over, "And just in time for a diaper change! Aren't you lucky!"

James held a now giggling, and very stinky Harry as he watched Sirius disappear into the kitchen. "Ah," he said, sarcastically, "There's the Padfoot we all know and love."


End file.
